Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/169

Rh accomplished player of the 'cello who was the unfortunate possessor of a very large nose was presented to him. Bülow gazed at him an instant, then, without returning the player's salutation, exclaimed, "That nose is impossible!" and fled away.

In America we sometimes hear the phrase "put a head on him," but the German idiom for the same phraseological gem is to "give one a nose." When Bülow was leading the Meiningen orchestra, on one occasion the duke wished a certain piece played. The conductor through some whim declined. The duke insisted. The next day Bülow appeared at rehearsal with an enormous false nose on his face. At the close of the first piece, he said to the orchestra, "Gentlemen, you will wish to know where I got this nose? I will tell you. His Highness gave it to me yesterday."

These are some of the whimsicalities of greatness; greatness viewed from its comical side. Viewed as an interpreter of the great masters from Beethoven to Wagner, on piano or orchestra Bülow was one of the very elect. A man of prodigious memory, of wide learning, of an all-conquering technic, he was a universal genius who concentrated his abilities upon music, yet to whom music was but one department of learning. At this writing there is no one that may take up his fallen mantle.  

Paganini had a cowardly horror of England, due to some peculiar experiences he had while there. He had a great deal of pride and egotism, and continually suspected other violinists—jealous of his fame and ability—of wishing to assassinate him.

When he was besought to go to France, he would have declined from this fear of assassination, had he not been told that he would accumulate great riches from the trip; but finally his avarice overcame his cowardice. 